Campbells

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Firstborn Turns 13! She's Home!

Firstborn arrived home from her many Saturday commitments. Miss Middler and Big Ben wanted to hide. We all hid behind the door; Big Ben insisted on hiding under the coffee table (never mind that she wouldn't be entering that room when she first arrived). He felt it was a much better place to hide. She was pleasantly surprised that the meal was to be on the balcony. It's a simple thing, but one thing we do on birthdays is to go around the table and tell the birthday person one thing we love/appreciate about them. Twinkle Toes commented that she was happy they'd been doing more together and getting along better. Miss Middler appreciated how patient she had been when babysitting them. Sweet Cheeks told her she was the best roommate ever, and Big Ben said he liked getting in Abla's (Turkish for big sister) bed at night.

Sweet Cheeks realized she didn't have a gift for her sister. Her Papa was out, so she called him and asked him to buy some earrings for her to give. Miss Middler picked them out, Papa paid for them, Sweet Cheeks got all the credit!

The middle sisters got her a scented pillar candle, in blue (her favorite).

She got lots of goodies from home...a purse, headband, white board for her room, sea monkeys. We gave her a tadpole habitat home. Yes, that's right. And like a classic girl of 13...she was equally happy with new make up and a purse as she was the sea monkeys and the tadpole home. I love this age!

Just before bed, she asked if she could have her picture made with her parents on her 13th birthday.

You know I am grinning and giggling . . . Now it will be a steady stream of 13 year old birthdays and before you turn around, it will be Ben's turn to be 13.

Happy Birthday ME!

Love,The Keffers

P. S. Not meaning to rush things Sara. . . I know everyone talks about "just wait" . . . It is because we are "old" women looking back on those years remembering those times in our own lives. You bring all those memories back with your wonderful stories. You will have to overlook the sentimentality. You are dead-smack in the middle of the most wonderful years raising your kids.

Life just seems to go by way too fast.

I'm over here trying to slow it down and smell the roses, as they say, savoring what I see lying ahead. Praying hard for the futures of each of the young adults in my house and once in a while, wishing for just a minute, I could relive their childhood again. But I can't so I get mushy reading your blog - ha.

My "firstborn" and your former 3rd grade student, is on her way as I type this for a job interview at her state supreme court. We are waiting for news of #2's application to a large university music school and the boys are turning into young men right before my eyes. So much of life ahead for these young people, isn't there? This is a sweet time of life. . . Least I give the impression all the good years are gone . . . Not so. This is a good time as well. Watching all the things you taught your kids start to develop in them as adults. Watching all the hard work pay off. Pretty neat to see them start out life.